| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 19:43:36
|
A number of residents on properties right across The Dell have been reporting that their drains are blocked and waste water & sewage have been filling the access sub-system chambers in their gardens.
I've noticed a Coastline Drains van and operatives working on drains for the last week and in particular at a manhole on the corner of Dell Drive and Foxdale Drive.
I opened the manhole cover over the access chamber in my garden this afternoon and found that it was half full (about 4 ft of water/effluent) - it should be empty. These sub-system chambers are about 8ft deep.
I then talked to a guy in a yellow coat who was with the Coastal Drains team who turned out to be from Arun District Council's Environmental Health Department. They are desperately trying to find the cause of the problem but as soon as one of the estate's main chambers is cleared then effluent from others seems to rush through and block the whole of The Dell's drains again.
After their last main drain rodding attempt this afternoon, the sub-system chamber on my property had cleared, but I was warned that it might well fill again tomorrow. They just do not know what the problem is. I watched as they cleared an incredible amount of disgusting fat from the main drain chamber. Despite that, the water level in that chamber did not decrease.
The cost of the whole operation will cost many thousands of pounds and the amount could increase substantially if they find a collapsed chamber or damage to part of the drainage system, as such a repair could cost £20,000 or more. ADC are unlikely to bear the cost and are looking at the possibility of back-charging owners on The Dell. Many will know that Southern Water did not adopt the drainage system after Hargreaves constructed the development, which was completed about 22 years ago. The reason why is unknown. Perhaps SW was aware of faults.
The point of this posting is to warn property owners on The Dell that they all might receive a bill for a share of the unblocking or repairs which ADC believe owners have a legal obligation to pay. If billed, the ADC man said that they would pursue payment.
I may be wrong, but I understood that Carina Drive was connected to The Dell's drainage system when it was built a few years ago. I seem to recall that Dell owners were concerned that this would put an extra strain on the drainage system. |
|
|
Commuter
Senior Member
United Kingdom
166 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2011 : 18:11:45
|
"incredible amount of disgusting fat"
The saturated stuff which is hard when cold. So not content with clogging up their own arteries, the lovers of such stuff poor the surplus down the drain - costing themselves and their neighbours. Put it in the bin! |
Commuter |
 |
|
|
Bert
Advanced Member
484 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jun 2011 : 10:23:23
|
| I understand this problem has occured again, over the weekend, on parts of The Dell. (The drains/sewerage system has been checked out in Carina Drive, and it is not connected to The Dell's system.) |
|
|
|
neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2011 : 09:20:18
|
District & Parish Councillor, Paul Bicknell - a resident of The Dell - has today issued the following bulletin which also appears on the AVL News page:
quote:
Dell Sewerage System - an update
- Firstly, the sewers are unadopted by Southern Water. This means we have private sewers, and householders on the Dell are currently responsible for any work or repairs required on the sewerage system before it joins the main system in Station Road.
- Since Saturday 26 June, the Dell has been having problems with the sewers being blocked.
- A group of four of us residents found a blockage on Sunday evening around the junction of Dell Drive and Foxdale Drive.
- Arun District Council was informed and arranged for a contractor to work on the drains.
- The contractor worked on the drains on Monday 28 June and had some success in unblocking the drains but residents' drains in Lime Grove and Birch Close remained blocked.
- During Monday evening, a number of drain covers were lifted to find that drains are still not working properly in areas that we thought had been unblocked by Monday's work.
- The contractors are due to come back on Tuesday for further work.
Could I urge all residents on The Dell to inspect drains within their property boundary or have them looked at by others to see if they are working properly and are running freely. Note: Lifting manhole covers and inspecting drains can be dangerous and should only be done by the more able of us.
One of the latest laws that has just gone through Parliament is that local water companies will have the responsibility of private sewers transferred to them on 1 st October 2011. I believe the finer points of this new law require looking into between now and 1st October.
Paul Bicknell (Dell resident)
|
|
|
|
Rosebud
Average Member
United Kingdom
88 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2011 : 13:12:18
|
| Don't know if it's anything to do with the unblocking of the drains but I noticed a van in Station Road by the entrance to The Dell. It was there when I went out of the village at about 11:30 this morning, and still there at 1pm. It seemed to be parked away from the kerb, and there was a man directing the traffic round it. It looked like it had a big reel of pipe on the back, and there was water on the road. Maybe they were trying to sort the drains out on the main road in a bid to unblock the the ones on The Dell. |
|
|
|
MJB
New Member
United Kingdom
2 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jun 2011 : 14:01:37
|
| I am told that men with clip boards are on the The Dell today lifting drain covers and taking samples. Are we any closer to knowing where the problem stems from? |
Hush Puppy |
|
|
|
neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jul 2011 : 09:28:18
|
| Littlehampton Gazette report is putting blame on the number of cosmetic wipes and cotton buds that have been put down the toilets. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
